Verónica

"My name is Veronica, I am 31 years old and on December 2010 I was diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia. I had all the symptoms: fatigue, uncured colds, blood in my gums... I found an explanation for everything until I started bruising all over my legs.

I went to the emergency room and on the next day the big news: you have leukaemia. Your whole world tumbles! That day they let me leave the hospital to see my daughter and my family for I was going to spend many days isolated without being able to see them. The visit was shorter than I expected for I started to run a fever which caused me to go back to the hospital.

With my husband and my mom I spent two months and a half at the hospital, with two cycles of chemotherapy, one after the other, and with two short visits to the ICU. That was a big torture, the hours seemed days and the days weeks.

New Year's Eve 2010, during my second cycle of chemotherapy

Now that I am remembering it all, I realize that in spite of everything I was very happy. The Haematology professionals in Leon are and were excellent and they tried as hard as possible for my stay to be comfortable.

Because none of my siblings were compatible with me, the José Carreras Foundation began the search for a non-family donor. A week later after discharging me, a call from my doctor filled me with joy: you have a donor. I was so glad! Although the happiness didn't last much for, a week later, they called me again to tell me: your donor is sick and can't perform de donation, come back for another chemotherapy cycle. Gosh... Once again the same song, another month admitted in the hospital.

When they discharged me they gave me, once again, great news: you have a donor. I had to go to Salamanca to run some tests and, the truth is, I feared the transplant. I was always sure that I was going to become healthy but I was always scared of the consequences, and I still am. 15 days after being admitted in the hospital I got another surprise call: the transplant has to be postponed because the donor has become sick. Truth is I was happy; I had 15 more days to enjoy at home with my daughter and my family.

With my husband, on the day of my birthday, April 2011

I was admitted in Salamanca on June 2nd 2011 and I was transplanted on June 11th. I was admitted for a month which I will always remember as the saddest days of my life, far from my home, my daughter and my husband, who wasn't able to come with me this time. All of my fear disappeared, it didn't seem so tough. I am not going to say that you have a good time, because you don't, but I felt much worst after receiving chemotherapy.

Thanks to the José Carreras Foundation for finding not one, but two bone marrow donors who saved my life, thank you to my anonymous German donor for her generosity, thank you to all of the staff in Haematology at Leon for their encouragement and comprehension and for showing me that they are professionals from top to bottom, thank you to my family for their support and for having patience during those days where I couldn't see the bright side of things and specially thank you to my husband and my daughter, for they give me strength to keep fighting. WE PADDLE AGAINST THE CURRENT!"

Veronica

If you want more information about the donation of bone marrow to help people like Verónica (and many other patients) to have the opportunity of a cure, click HERE. Remember that the donation of bone marrow is altruistic, anonymous, and universal. If you register as a bone marrow donor, you could be making a donation to a person from anywhere in the world. If you want more information, write to donants@fcarreras.es or call us on our free phone number (in Spain) 900 32 33 34.

You could also become a member of the José Carreras Foundation. With a little amount you could help us to continue our research.